Office of Vocational and Adult Education; Overview Information; Tech-Prep Demonstration Program (TPDP); Notice Inviting Applications For New Awards in Fiscal Year (FY) 2005, 19741-19746 [05-7527]
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 71 / Thursday, April 14, 2005 / Notices
academic standards that equal or exceed
those established by the State and
reflects industry-recognized skills and
knowledge.
(d) The extent to which the applicant
demonstrates that consortium efforts
will align the ninth-grade and tenthgrade curricula with proposed TPDP
program entrance requirements, to
ensure a sizable, qualified applicant
pool for the proposed TPDP program.
(e) The extent to which the applicant
presents a detailed student recruitment
plan that is likely to be effective in
fulfilling the project’s enrollment goals
for each year of the project.
(f) The extent to which the applicant
demonstrates that it has designed a
comprehensive academic and career
counseling program for participating
students at both the secondary and
postsecondary levels and will provide
specific support services to ensure
students’ persistence in the program to
the attainment of a postsecondary
degree or certificate.
(g) The extent to which the applicant
demonstrates that the business
member(s) of the consortium and other
area employers have agreed to provide
structured work-based learning
opportunities to TPDP students that are
directly related to the proposed
technical program(s) of study.
(h) The extent to which the proposed
project will provide intensive
professional development, specifically
designed to help achieve the goals of the
program, for secondary and
postsecondary instructors, counselors,
and administrators involved in the
program.
(2) Quality of the management plan.
In determining the quality of the
management plan for the proposed
project, we consider the following
factors:
(a) The extent to which the
management plan outlines specific,
measurable goals, objectives, and
outcomes to be achieved by the
proposed project.
(b) The extent to which the
management plan assigns responsibility
for the accomplishment of project tasks
to specific project personnel and
provides timelines for the
accomplishment of project tasks.
(c) The extent to which the time
commitments of the project director and
other key personnel are appropriate and
adequate to achieve the objectives of the
proposed project.
(3) Quality of project personnel.
In determining the quality of project
personnel, we consider the following
factors:
(a) The extent to which the applicant
encourages applications for employment
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from members of groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented
based on race, color, national origin,
gender, age, or disability.
(b) The qualifications, including
relevant training and experience, of the
project director.
(c) The qualifications, including
relevant training and experience, of key
project personnel, including teachers,
counselors, administrators, and project
consultants.
(4) Adequacy of resources.
In determining the adequacy of
resources for the proposed project, we
consider the following factors:
(a) The adequacy of support,
including facilities, equipment,
supplies, and other resources, from the
participating institutions.
(b) The extent to which the budget is
adequate and costs are reasonable in
relation to the objectives and design of
the proposed project.
(5) Quality of the project evaluation.
In determining the quality of the
evaluation, we consider the following
factors:
(a) The extent to which the methods
of evaluation are thorough, feasible, and
appropriate, will solicit input from all
consortium members regarding program
effectiveness, and will yield accurate
and reliable data for each of the required
performance indicators.
(b) The extent to which the evaluation
will produce reports or other documents
at appropriate intervals to enable
consortium members to use the data for
planning and decision making for
continuous program improvement.
(c) The extent to which the
independent evaluator possesses the
necessary background and expertise to
carry out the evaluation.
Executive Order 12866
This notice of final requirements and
selection criteria has been reviewed in
accordance with Executive Order 12866.
Under the terms of the order, we have
assessed the potential costs and benefits
of this regulatory action.
The potential costs associated with
the notice of final requirements and
selection criteria are those resulting
from statutory requirements and those
we have determined as necessary for
administering this program effectively
and efficiently.
In assessing the potential costs and
benefits—both quantitative and
qualitative—of this notice of final
requirements and selection criteria, we
have determined that the benefits of the
final requirements and selection criteria
justify the costs.
We have also determined that this
regulatory action does not unduly
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19741
interfere with State, local, and tribal
governments in the exercise of their
governmental functions.
We summarized the costs and benefits
in the notice of proposed requirements
and selection criteria.
Intergovernmental Review
This program is subject to Executive
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34
CFR part 79. One of the objectives of the
Executive Order is to foster an
intergovernmental partnership and a
strengthened federalism. The Executive
order relies on processes developed by
State and local governments for
coordination and review of proposed
Federal financial assistance.
This document provides early
notification of our specific plans and
actions for this program.
Electronic Access to This Document
You may view this document, as well
as all other Department of Education
documents published in the Federal
Register, in text or Adobe Portable
Document Format (PDF) on the Internet
at the following site: https://www.ed.gov/
news/fedregister.
To use PDF you must have Adobe
Acrobat Reader, which is available free
at this site. If you have questions about
using PDF, call the U.S. Government
Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1–
888–293–6498; or in the Washington,
DC, area at (202) 512–1530.
Note: The official version of this document
is the document published in the Federal
Register. Free Internet access to the official
edition of the Federal Register and the Code
of Federal Regulations is available on GPO
Access at: https://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/
index.html.
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
Number 84.353 Tech-Prep
Demonstration Program)
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 2376.
Dated: April 11, 2005.
Susan Sclafani,
Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult
Education.
[FR Doc. 05–7526 Filed 4–13–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Vocational and Adult
Education; Overview Information;
Tech-Prep Demonstration Program
(TPDP); Notice Inviting Applications
For New Awards in Fiscal Year (FY)
2005
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
(CFDA) Number: 84.353.
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 71 / Thursday, April 14, 2005 / Notices
Dates: Applications Available: April
14, 2005.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: May 24, 2005.
Deadline for Intergovernmental
Review: July 28, 2005.
Eligible Applicants: To be eligible for
funding under the TPDP, a consortium
must include at least one member in
each of the following three categories:
(1) A local educational agency (LEA),
an intermediate educational agency, an
area vocational and technical education
school serving secondary school
students, or a secondary school funded
by the Bureau of Indian Affairs;
(2)(a) A nonprofit institution of higher
education that offers a two-year
associate degree, two-year certificate, or
two-year postsecondary apprenticeship
program, or (b) a proprietary institution
of higher education that offers a twoyear associate degree program; and
(3) A business.
Under the provisions of section
204(a)(1) of the Carl D. Perkins
Vocational and Technical Education Act
of 1998 (Perkins III), to be eligible for
consortium membership both nonprofit
and proprietary institutions of higher
education must be qualified as
institutions of higher education
pursuant to section 102 of the Higher
Education Act of 1965, as amended
(HEA), including institutions receiving
assistance under the Tribally Controlled
College or University Assistance Act of
1978 (25 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) and
tribally controlled postsecondary
vocational and technical institutions.
In addition, nonprofit institutions of
higher education are eligible only if they
are not prohibited from receiving
assistance under HEA, title IV, part B
(20 U.S.C. 1071 et seq.), pursuant to the
provisions of section 435(a)(3) of HEA
(20 U.S.C. 1083(a)). Proprietary
institutions of higher education are
eligible only if they are not subject to a
default management plan required by
the Secretary.
Under the provisions of section
204(a)(2) of Perkins III, consortia also
may include one or more: (1)
Institutions of higher education that
award baccalaureate degrees; (2)
Employer organizations; or (3) Labor
organizations.
Note: Eligible consortia seeking to apply
for funds should read and follow the
regulations in 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129,
which apply to group applications.
Estimated Available Funds:
$9,838,177.
Estimated Range of Awards: $700,000
to $800,000 for the 60-month project
period.
Estimated Average Size of Awards:
$759,000.
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Estimated Number of Awards: 13.
Note: The Department is not bound by any
estimates in this Notice.
Project Period: 60 months. Additional
information concerning length of
awards, available funds, and award
amounts is included in Section II
(Award Information) of this notice.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The TPDP
provides grants to enable consortia
described in section 204(a) of Perkins III
to carry out tech-prep education projects
authorized by section 207 of Perkins III
that involve the location of a secondary
school on the site of a community
college, a business as a member of the
consortium, and the voluntary
participation of secondary school
students. Following an initial
recruitment period, funded projects will
enroll a new student cohort in each year
of the project and will continue to
support each previous TPDP student
cohort.
Priority: Under this competition we
are particularly interested in
applications that address the following
priority.
Invitational Priority: For this
competition, this priority is an
invitational priority. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(1), we do not give an
application that meets this invitational
priority a competitive or absolute
preference over other applications.
This priority is:
Student Choice: This priority
encourages applications that propose to
implement a TPDP project in a
geographic area in which a large
proportion or number of public high
schools have been identified for
improvement, corrective action, or
restructuring under Title I, Part A of the
Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA), to
provide an opportunity for students to
attend a school that is not in need of
improvement.
Requirements: Additional
requirements for all projects funded
under this competition are in the notice
of final requirements and selection
criteria, published elsewhere in this
issue of the Federal Register.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 2376.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The
Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in
34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82,
84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) the
requirements and selection criteria in
the notice of final requirements and
selection criteria published elsewhere in
this issue of the Federal Register.
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Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79
apply to all applicants except federally
recognized Indian tribes.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86
apply to institutions of higher education
only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grant.
Estimated Available Funds:
$9,838,177.
Estimated Range of Awards: $700,000
to $800,000 for the 60-month project
period.
Estimated Average Size of Awards:
$759,000
Estimated Number of Awards: 13.
Note: The Department is not bound by any
estimates in this Notice.
Project Period: 60 months. Applicants
under this competition are required to
provide detailed budget information for
each year of the proposed project and
for the total grant. The Department will
negotiate funding levels for each 12month period of the grant at the time of
the award. Grants under this
competition will be made from both the
FY 2004 and the FY 2005 TPDP
appropriations. The FY 2005
appropriation for TPDP, although
already enacted, will not be available to
the Secretary for obligation until July 1,
2005. Therefore, partial TPDP grant
awards will be made with funds from
the FY 2004 TPDP appropriation,
following the selection of grantees. The
remainder of the TPDP grant awards
will be made as supplemental awards to
grantees on or soon after July 1, 2005,
when funds from the FY 2005 TPDP
appropriation become available for
obligation by the Secretary.
Note: The Secretary has concluded that
five-year awards are necessary for TPDP
grantees to fully meet the statutory purposes
of section 207 of Perkins III and the
requirements of this notice. By definition,
tech-prep programs combine at least two
years of secondary education with a
minimum of two years of postsecondary
education in a nonduplicative, sequential
course of study, and result in the attainment
of a postsecondary degree or certificate. As
outlined in this notice, five-year funding
will: (a) Allow funded projects to engage in
a lengthy recruitment effort and meet their
enrollment goals; (b) enable the first cohort
of students to complete the full four years of
the tech-prep program and attain the
necessary postsecondary degree or certificate;
and (c) enable subsequent cohorts of students
to complete a significant portion of the techprep program, thus increasing the likelihood
that they will persist in their efforts to attain
the necessary postsecondary degree or
certificate. In addition, by enabling funded
projects to conduct the full four-year techprep program, five-year funding will allow
grantees and the Department to evaluate the
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effectiveness of the funded programs more
thoroughly.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: To be eligible
for funding under the TPDP, a
consortium must include at least one
member in each of the following three
categories:
(1) An LEA, an intermediate
educational agency, an area vocational
and technical education school serving
secondary school students, or a
secondary school funded by the Bureau
of Indian Affairs;
(2) (a) A nonprofit institution of
higher education that offers a two-year
associate degree, two-year certificate, or
two-year postsecondary apprenticeship
program, or (b) a proprietary institution
of higher education that offers a twoyear associate degree program; and
(3) A business.
Under the provisions of section
204(a)(1) of Perkins III, to be eligible for
consortium membership both nonprofit
and proprietary institutions of higher
education must be qualified as
institutions of higher education
pursuant to section 102 of HEA,
including institutions receiving
assistance under the Tribally Controlled
College or University Assistance Act of
1978 (25 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) and
tribally controlled postsecondary
vocational and technical institutions.
In addition, nonprofit institutions of
higher education are eligible only if they
are not prohibited from receiving
assistance under HEA, title IV, part B
(20 U.S.C. 1071 et seq.), pursuant to the
provisions of section 435(a)(3) of HEA
(20 U.S.C. 1083(a)). Proprietary
institutions of higher education are
eligible only if they are not subject to a
default management plan required by
the Secretary.
Under the provisions of section
204(a)(2) of Perkins III, consortia also
may include one or more: (1)
Institutions of higher education that
award baccalaureate degrees; (2)
employer organizations; or (3) labor
organizations.
Note: Eligible consortia seeking to apply
for funds should read and follow the
regulations in 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129,
which apply to group applications.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This
competition does not involve cost
sharing or matching but does involve
supplement-not-supplant funding
provisions.
IV. Application and Submission
Information
1. Address to Request Application
Package: Laura Messenger, U.S.
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Department of Education, 400 Maryland
Avenue, SW., room 11028, Potomac
Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202–
7241. Telephone: (202) 245–7840. Fax:
(202) 245–7170. You may also obtain an
application package via Internet from
the following address: https://
www.ed.gov/GrantApps/
If you use a telecommunications
device for the deaf (TDD), you may call
the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1–
800–877–8339.
Individuals with disabilities may
obtain this notice in an alternate format
(e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or
computer diskette) by contacting the
program contact person listed in this
section.
2. Content and Form of Application
Submission: Requirements concerning
the content of the application, together
with the forms you must submit, are in
the application package for this
competition.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: April 14,
2005.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: May 31, 2005.
Applications for grants under this
competition may be submitted
electronically using the Electronic Grant
Application System (e-Application)
accessible through the Department’s eGrants system, or in paper format by
mail or hand delivery. For information
(including dates and times) about how
to submit your application
electronically, or by mail or hand
delivery, please refer to section IV. 6.
Other Submission Requirements in this
notice.
We do not consider an application
that does not comply with the deadline
requirements.
Deadline for Intergovernmental
Review: July 28, 2005.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This
program is subject to Executive order
12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR
part 79. Information about
Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs under Executive Order 12372
is in the application package for this
competition.
5. Funding Restrictions: We reference
regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable
Regulations section of this notice. In
addition, some specific categories of
allowable TPDP spending and some
specific funding restrictions apply to
TPDP projects:
Allowable Costs
Allowable activities and expenditures
for TPDP projects include, but are not
limited to: Recruitment and enrollment
of students; staff hiring; updating of
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19743
articulation agreements; curriculum
revision; professional development for
secondary and postsecondary faculty,
counselors, and administrators; and
development and maintenance of
business and industry partnerships. In
addition, section 207(b)(2) of Perkins III
specifies that TPDP projects may
provide summer internships at a
business for students or teachers.
Section 207 of Perkins III gives
applicants latitude for innovation.
Subject to applicable funding
restrictions, section 204(c)(3)(B) of
Perkins III authorizes tech-prep
programs that allow students to
concurrently complete both secondary
and postsecondary courses, and
simultaneously satisfy requirements for
a high school diploma and an associate
degree or other postsecondary
credential.
Unallowable Costs
(1) Supplanting. In accordance with
section 311(a) of Perkins III, funds
under this program may not be used to
supplant non-Federal funds used to
carry out vocational and technical
education activities and tech-prep
activities. Further, the prohibition
against supplanting also means that
grantees are required to use their
negotiated restricted indirect cost rate
under this program. (34 CFR 75.563.)
Because of the statutory prohibition
against supplanting, we caution
applicants not to plan to use Federal
funds awarded under section 207 of
Perkins III to replace non-Federal
funding that is already, or that
otherwise would be, available for
support of the TPDP projects to be
assisted. Further, we are concerned that
TPDP funds may be used to replace
Federal student financial aid. We wish
to highlight the fact that the statute does
not authorize us to fund projects that
serve primarily as entities through
which students may apply for and
receive tuition and other financial
assistance.
(2) Construction. Under § 75.533 of
EDGAR (34 CFR 75.533), TPDP grants
cannot be used for the acquisition of
real property or construction because
Perkins III does not specifically permit
use of TPDP funds for these purposes.
(3) Articulation Agreements with
Four-Year Institutions. Under the
provisions of section 207(d) of Perkins
III, tech-prep articulation agreements
with four-year institutions cannot be
supported with TPDP funds awarded
under section 207 of Perkins III.
However, articulation agreements with
four-year institutions can be developed
using other resources by applicants who
wish to establish ‘‘open-ended’’ tech-
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prep career pathways. Also, the
inclusion in TPDP consortia of
institutions of higher education that
award baccalaureate degrees is
allowable under section 204(a)(2)(A) of
Perkins III.
6. Other Submission Requirements:
Applications for grants under this
competition may be submitted
electronically or in paper format by mail
or hand delivery.
a. Electronic Submission of
Applications. If you choose to submit
your application to us electronically,
you must use e-Application available
through the Department’s e-Grants
system, accessible through the e-Grants
portal page at: https://e-grants.ed.gov.
While completing your electronic
application, you will be entering data
online that will be saved into a
database. You may not e-mail an
electronic copy of a grant application to
us.
Please note the following:
• Your participation in e-Application
is voluntary.
• You must complete the electronic
submission of your grant application by
4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the
application deadline date. The eApplication system will not accept an
application for this competition after
4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the
application deadline date. Therefore, we
strongly recommend that you do not
wait until the application deadline date
to begin the application process.
• The regular hours of operation of
the e-Grants Web site are 6 a.m. Monday
until 7 p.m. Wednesday; and 6 a.m.
Thursday until midnight Saturday,
Washington, DC time. Please note that
the system is unavailable on Sundays,
and between 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and
6 a.m. on Thursdays, Washington, DC
time, for maintenance. Any
modifications to these hours are posted
on the e-Grants Web site.
• You will not receive additional
point value because you submit your
application in electronic format, nor
will we penalize you if you submit your
application in paper format.
• You must submit all documents
electronically, including the
Application for Federal Education
Assistance (ED 424), Budget
Information—Non-Construction
Programs (ED 524), and all necessary
assurances and certifications.
• Any narrative sections of your
application should be attached as files
in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text),
or .PDF (Portable Document) format.
• Your electronic application must
comply with any page limit
requirements described in this notice.
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• Prior to submitting your electronic
application, you may wish to print a
copy of it for your records.
• After you electronically submit
your application, you will receive an
automatic acknowledgement that will
include a PR/Award number (an
identifying number unique to your
application).
• Within three working days after
submitting your electronic application,
fax a signed copy of the ED 424 to the
Application Control Center after
following these steps:
(1) Print the ED 424 from eApplication.
(2) The applicant’s Authorizing
Representative must sign this form.
(3) Place the PR/Award number in the
upper right hand corner of the hardcopy signature page of the ED 424.
(4) Fax the signed ED 424 to the
Application Control Center at (202)
245–6272.
• We may request that you provide us
original signatures on other forms at a
later date.
Application Deadline Date Extension
in Case of System Unavailability: If you
are prevented from electronically
submitting your application on the
application deadline date because the eApplication system is unavailable, we
will grant you an extension of one
business day in order to transmit your
application electronically, by mail, or by
hand delivery. We will grant this
extension if—
(1) You are a registered user of eApplication and you have initiated an
electronic application for this
competition; and
(2) (a) The e-Application system is
unavailable for 60 minutes or more
between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the
application deadline date; or
(b) The e-Application system is
unavailable for any period of time
between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.,
Washington, DC time, on the
application deadline date.
We must acknowledge and confirm
these periods of unavailability before
granting you an extension. To request
this extension or to confirm our
acknowledgement of any system
unavailability, you may contact either
(1) the person listed elsewhere in this
notice under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT (see VII.
Agency Contact) or (2) the e-Grants help
desk at 1–888–336–8930. If the system
is down and therefore the application
deadline is extended, an e-mail will be
sent to all registered users who have
initiated an e-Application.
Extensions referred to in this section
apply only to the unavailability of the
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Department’s e-Application system. If
the e-Application system is available,
and, for any reason, you are unable to
submit your application electronically
or you do not receive an automatic
acknowledgement of your submission,
you may submit your application in
paper format by mail or hand delivery
in accordance with the instructions in
this notice.
b. Submission of Paper Applications
by Mail. If you submit your application
in paper format by mail (through the
U.S. Postal Service or a commercial
carrier), you must mail the original and
two copies of your application, on or
before the application deadline date, to
the Department at the applicable
following address:
By mail through the U.S. Postal
Service: U.S. Department of Education,
Application Control Center, Attention:
(CFDA Number 84.353), 400 Maryland
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202–
4260; or
By mail through a commercial carrier:
U.S. Department of Education,
Application Control Center—Stop 4260,
Attention: (CFDA Number 84.353), 7100
Old Landover Road, Landover, MD
20785–1506.
Regardless of which address you use,
you must show proof of mailing
consisting of one of the following:
(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service
postmark,
(2) A legible mail receipt with the
date of mailing stamped by the U.S.
Postal Service,
(3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or
receipt from a commercial carrier, or
(4) Any other proof of mailing
acceptable to the Secretary of the U.S.
Department of Education.
If you mail your application through
the U.S. Postal Service, we do not
accept either of the following as proof
of mailing:
(1) A private metered postmark, or
(2) A mail receipt that is not dated by
the U.S. Postal Service.
If your application is postmarked after
the application deadline date, we will
not consider your application.
Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not
uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before
relying on this method, you should check
with your local post office.
c. Submission of Paper Applications
by Hand Delivery. If you submit your
application in paper format by hand
delivery, you (or a courier service) must
deliver the original and two copies of
your application by hand, on or before
the application deadline date, to the
Department at the following address:
U.S. Department of Education,
Application Control Center, Attention:
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(CFDA Number 84.353), 550 12th Street,
SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202–4260.
The Application Control Center
accepts hand deliveries daily between 8
a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC
time, except Saturdays, Sundays, and
Federal holidays.
Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of
Paper Applications: If you mail or hand
deliver your application to the
Department:
(1) You must indicate on the envelope
and—if not provided by the
Department—in Item 4 of the ED 424 the
CFDA number—and suffix letter, if
any—of the competition under which
you are submitting your application.
(2) The Application Control Center
will mail a grant application receipt
acknowledgment to you. If you do not
receive the grant application receipt
acknowledgment within 15 business
days from the application deadline date,
you should call the U.S. Department of
Education Application Control Center at
(202) 245–6288.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The selection
criteria for this competition are as
follows:
(1) Quality of the project design. (40
points)
In determining the quality of the
design of the proposed project, we
consider the following factors:
(a) The extent to which the applicant
demonstrates its readiness to implement
a complete, career-oriented, four-year
program of study, as evidenced by a
formal articulation agreement
concerning the structure, content, and
sequence of all academic and technical
courses to be offered in the proposed
tech-prep program and, if applicable,
the conditions under which dual credit
will be awarded. (5 points)
(b) The extent to which the
applicant’s proposed secondary
academic and technical course offerings
and graduation requirements prepare
students to enter postsecondary
education without the need for
remediation and are aligned with the
entrance requirements for
postsecondary degree and certificate
programs. (5 points)
(c) The extent to which the proposed
instructional program incorporates high
academic standards that equal or exceed
those established by the State and
reflects industry-recognized skills and
knowledge. (5 points)
(d) The extent to which the applicant
demonstrates that consortium efforts
will align the ninth-grade and tenthgrade curricula with proposed TPDP
program entrance requirements, to
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19:36 Apr 13, 2005
Jkt 205001
ensure a sizable, qualified applicant
pool for the proposed TPDP program. (5
points)
(e) The extent to which the applicant
presents a detailed student recruitment
plan that is likely to be effective in
fulfilling the project’s enrollment goals
for each year of the project. (5 points)
(f) The extent to which the applicant
demonstrates that it has designed a
comprehensive academic and career
counseling program for participating
students at both the secondary and
postsecondary levels and will provide
specific support services to ensure
students’ persistence in the program to
the attainment of a postsecondary
degree or certificate. (5 points)
(g) The extent to which the applicant
demonstrates that the business
member(s) of the consortium and other
area employers have agreed to provide
structured work-based learning
opportunities to TPDP students that are
directly related to the proposed
technical program(s) of study. (5 points)
(h) The extent to which the proposed
project will provide intensive
professional development, specifically
designed to help achieve the goals of the
program, for secondary and
postsecondary instructors, counselors,
and administrators involved in the
program. (5 points)
(2) Quality of the management plan.
(15 points)
In determining the quality of the
management plan for the proposed
project, we consider the following
factors:
(a) The extent to which the
management plan outlines specific,
measurable goals, objectives, and
outcomes to be achieved by the
proposed project. (5 points)
(b) The extent to which the
management plan assigns responsibility
for the accomplishment of project tasks
to specific project personnel and
provides timelines for the
accomplishment of project tasks. (5
points)
(c) The extent to which the time
commitments of the project director and
other key personnel are appropriate and
adequate to achieve the objectives of the
proposed project. (5 points)
(3) Quality of project personnel. (15
points)
In determining the quality of project
personnel, we consider the following
factors:
(a) The extent to which the applicant
encourages applications for employment
from members of groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented
based on race, color, national origin,
gender, age, or disability. (5 points)
PO 00000
Frm 00019
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
19745
(b) The qualifications, including
relevant training and experience, of the
project director. (5 points)
(c) The qualifications, including
relevant training and experience, of key
project personnel, including teachers,
counselors, administrators, and project
consultants. (5 points)
(4) Adequacy of resources. (10 points)
In determining the adequacy of
resources for the proposed project, we
consider the following factors:
(a) The adequacy of support,
including facilities, equipment,
supplies, and other resources, from the
participating institutions. (5 points)
(b) The extent to which the budget is
adequate and costs are reasonable in
relation to the objectives and design of
the proposed project. (5 points)
(5) Quality of the project evaluation.
(20 points)
In determining the quality of the
evaluation, we consider the following
factors:
(a) The extent to which the methods
of evaluation are thorough, feasible, and
appropriate, will solicit input from all
consortium members regarding program
effectiveness, and will yield accurate
and reliable data for each of the required
performance indicators. (10 points)
(b) The extent to which the evaluation
will produce reports or other documents
at appropriate intervals to enable
consortium members to use the data for
planning and decision making for
continuous program improvement. (5
points)
(c) The extent to which the
independent evaluator possesses the
necessary background and expertise to
carry out the evaluation. (5 points)
2. Special Considerations. In addition
to the points to be awarded to
applicants based on the selection
criteria in this notice, under section
207(d)(3) of Perkins III, we will award
five additional points to applications
that:
(1) Provide for effective employment
placement activities;
(2) Effectively address the issues of
school dropout prevention and reentry,
as well as the needs of special
populations;
(3) Provide education and training in
career areas or skills in which there are
significant workforce shortages,
including the information technology
industry; and
(4) Demonstrate how tech-prep
programs will help students meet high
academic and employability
competencies.
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices: If your application
is successful, we notify your U.S.
E:\FR\FM\14APN1.SGM
14APN1
19746
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 71 / Thursday, April 14, 2005 / Notices
Representative and U.S. Senators and
send you a Grant Award Notification
(GAN). We may also notify you
informally.
If your application is not evaluated or
not selected for funding, we notify you.
2. Administrative and National Policy
Requirements: We identify
administrative and national policy
requirements in the application package
and reference these and other
requirements in the Applicable
Regulations section of this notice.
We reference the regulations outlining
the terms and conditions of an award in
the Applicable Regulations section of
this notice and include these and other
specific conditions in the GAN. The
GAN also incorporates your approved
application as part of your binding
commitments under the grant.
3. Reporting: At the end of your
project period, you must submit a final
performance report, including financial
information, as directed by the
Secretary. If you receive a multi-year
award, you must submit an annual
performance report that provides the
most current performance and financial
expenditure information as specified by
the Secretary in 34 CFR 75.118. For
specific requirements on grantee
reporting, please review the Grant
Performance Report forms and
instructions (ED 524–B) at https://
www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/
appforms/appforms.html.
4. Performance Measures: We
describe the requirement for each
applicant to submit specific annual
performance goals for the required
specific performance indicators
identified in paragraph (6) of the
Requirements section of the notice of
final requirements and selection criteria,
published elsewhere in this issue of the
Federal Register.
VII. Agency Contact
For Further Information Contact:
Laura Messenger, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW.,
room 11028, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202–7241. telephone:
(202) 245–7840 or by e-mail:
laura.messenger@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications
device for the deaf (TDD), you may call
the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1–
800–877–8339.
Individuals with disabilities may
obtain this document in an alternative
format (e.g., Braille, large print,
audiotape, or computer diskette) on
request to the program contact person
listed in this section.
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19:36 Apr 13, 2005
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VIII. Other Information
Electronic Access to this Document:
You may view this document, as well as
all other documents of this Department
published in the Federal Register, in
text or Adobe Portable Document
Format (PDF) on the Internet at the
following site: https://www.ed.gov/news/
fedregister.
To use PDF you must have the Adobe
Acrobat Reader, which is available free
at this site. If you have questions about
using PDF, call the U.S. Government
Printing Office (GPO) toll free at 1–888–
293–6498, or in the Washington, DC,
area at (202) 512–1530.
Note: The official version of this document
is the document published in the Federal
Register. Free Internet access to the official
edition of the Federal Register and the Code
of Federal Regulations is available on GPO
Access at: https://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/
index.html.
Dated: April 11, 2005.
Susan Sclafani,
Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult
Education.
[FR Doc. 05–7527 Filed 4–13–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Dynegy, Inc., et al.; Electric Rate and
Corporate Filings
April 5, 2005.
The following filings have been made
with the Commission. The filings are
listed in ascending order within each
docket classification.
1. Dynegy Inc.
[Docket No. EC05–64–000]
Take notice that on March 30, 2005,
Dynegy Inc. (Applicant), on behalf of its
public utility subsidiaries, submitted an
application pursuant to section 203 of
the Federal Power Act for authorization
of a transfer of indirect control of its
jurisdictional facilities, arising from the
proposed change in the state of
incorporation of Applicant from Illinois
to Delaware.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. Eastern Time
on April 20, 2005.
2. Bear Swamp Power Company LLC
[Docket No. EG05–54–000]
Take notice that on March 17, 2005,
Bear Swamp Power Company LLC
(BSPC) filed an application for a
determination of exempt wholesale
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
[Docket No. ER03–1341–002]
Take notice that on March 30, 2005,
Michigan Electric Transmission
Company, LLC, (Michigan Electric) in
compliance with the Commission’s
order issued November 17, 2003, 105
FERC ¶ 61,214, submitted schedules
showing its actual weighted average cost
of long-term debt for calendar year 2004.
Michigan Electric states that copies of
this filing were served on all parties
included on the Commission’s official
service list established in this
proceeding.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. Eastern Time
on April 20, 2005.
[Docket No. ER05–741–000]
[Docket No. EC05–54–000, et al.]
Frm 00020
3. Michigan Electric Transmission
Company, LLC
4. Public Service Company of New
Mexico
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
PO 00000
generator status pursuant to section
32(a)(1) of the Public Utility Holding
Company Act of 1935, as amended, 15
U.S.C. 79z–5a, and Part 365 of the
Commission’s regulations. BSPC states
that it is a Delaware limited liability
company that will operate and
subsequently acquire and operate the
Bear Swamp Pumped Storage
Hydroelectric Facility and the Fife
Brook Hydroelectric Facility.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. Eastern Time
on April 27, 2005.
Take notice that on March 30, 2005,
Public Service Company of New Mexico
(PNM) tendered for filing a notice of
change in rates and the provision for
compensation for line losses for firm
point-to-point and network integration
transmission services under its FERC
Electric Tariff, Second Revised Volume
No. 4 (OATT), and for firm point-topoint transmission services under nonOATT bilateral contracts between PNM
and its firm transmission service
customers. PNM requests an effective
date of June 1, 2005, for the proposed
rate changes.
PNM states that copies of the filing
have been served on all affected
customers, the New Mexico Public
Regulation Commission, and the New
Mexico Attorney General. Copies of the
filing are available for public inspection
at PNM’s offices in Albuquerque, New
Mexico.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. Eastern Time
April 20, 2005.
5. Cambridge Electric Light Company;
Commonwealth Electric Company
[Docket No. ER05–742–000]
Take notice that on March 30, 2005,
Cambridge Electric Light Company and
Commonwealth Electric Company
E:\FR\FM\14APN1.SGM
14APN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 71 (Thursday, April 14, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19741-19746]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-7527]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Vocational and Adult Education; Overview Information;
Tech-Prep Demonstration Program (TPDP); Notice Inviting Applications
For New Awards in Fiscal Year (FY) 2005
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.353.
[[Page 19742]]
Dates: Applications Available: April 14, 2005.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 24, 2005.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 28, 2005.
Eligible Applicants: To be eligible for funding under the TPDP, a
consortium must include at least one member in each of the following
three categories:
(1) A local educational agency (LEA), an intermediate educational
agency, an area vocational and technical education school serving
secondary school students, or a secondary school funded by the Bureau
of Indian Affairs;
(2)(a) A nonprofit institution of higher education that offers a
two-year associate degree, two-year certificate, or two-year
postsecondary apprenticeship program, or (b) a proprietary institution
of higher education that offers a two-year associate degree program;
and
(3) A business.
Under the provisions of section 204(a)(1) of the Carl D. Perkins
Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998 (Perkins III), to be
eligible for consortium membership both nonprofit and proprietary
institutions of higher education must be qualified as institutions of
higher education pursuant to section 102 of the Higher Education Act of
1965, as amended (HEA), including institutions receiving assistance
under the Tribally Controlled College or University Assistance Act of
1978 (25 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) and tribally controlled postsecondary
vocational and technical institutions.
In addition, nonprofit institutions of higher education are
eligible only if they are not prohibited from receiving assistance
under HEA, title IV, part B (20 U.S.C. 1071 et seq.), pursuant to the
provisions of section 435(a)(3) of HEA (20 U.S.C. 1083(a)). Proprietary
institutions of higher education are eligible only if they are not
subject to a default management plan required by the Secretary.
Under the provisions of section 204(a)(2) of Perkins III, consortia
also may include one or more: (1) Institutions of higher education that
award baccalaureate degrees; (2) Employer organizations; or (3) Labor
organizations.
Note: Eligible consortia seeking to apply for funds should read
and follow the regulations in 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129, which
apply to group applications.
Estimated Available Funds: $9,838,177.
Estimated Range of Awards: $700,000 to $800,000 for the 60-month
project period.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $759,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 13.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
Notice.
Project Period: 60 months. Additional information concerning length
of awards, available funds, and award amounts is included in Section II
(Award Information) of this notice.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The TPDP provides grants to enable consortia
described in section 204(a) of Perkins III to carry out tech-prep
education projects authorized by section 207 of Perkins III that
involve the location of a secondary school on the site of a community
college, a business as a member of the consortium, and the voluntary
participation of secondary school students. Following an initial
recruitment period, funded projects will enroll a new student cohort in
each year of the project and will continue to support each previous
TPDP student cohort.
Priority: Under this competition we are particularly interested in
applications that address the following priority.
Invitational Priority: For this competition, this priority is an
invitational priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1), we do not give an
application that meets this invitational priority a competitive or
absolute preference over other applications.
This priority is:
Student Choice: This priority encourages applications that propose
to implement a TPDP project in a geographic area in which a large
proportion or number of public high schools have been identified for
improvement, corrective action, or restructuring under Title I, Part A
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended
(ESEA), to provide an opportunity for students to attend a school that
is not in need of improvement.
Requirements: Additional requirements for all projects funded under
this competition are in the notice of final requirements and selection
criteria, published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 2376.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) the requirements and selection
criteria in the notice of final requirements and selection criteria
published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants
except federally recognized Indian tribes.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of
higher education only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grant.
Estimated Available Funds: $9,838,177.
Estimated Range of Awards: $700,000 to $800,000 for the 60-month
project period.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $759,000
Estimated Number of Awards: 13.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
Notice.
Project Period: 60 months. Applicants under this competition are
required to provide detailed budget information for each year of the
proposed project and for the total grant. The Department will negotiate
funding levels for each 12-month period of the grant at the time of the
award. Grants under this competition will be made from both the FY 2004
and the FY 2005 TPDP appropriations. The FY 2005 appropriation for
TPDP, although already enacted, will not be available to the Secretary
for obligation until July 1, 2005. Therefore, partial TPDP grant awards
will be made with funds from the FY 2004 TPDP appropriation, following
the selection of grantees. The remainder of the TPDP grant awards will
be made as supplemental awards to grantees on or soon after July 1,
2005, when funds from the FY 2005 TPDP appropriation become available
for obligation by the Secretary.
Note: The Secretary has concluded that five-year awards are
necessary for TPDP grantees to fully meet the statutory purposes of
section 207 of Perkins III and the requirements of this notice. By
definition, tech-prep programs combine at least two years of
secondary education with a minimum of two years of postsecondary
education in a nonduplicative, sequential course of study, and
result in the attainment of a postsecondary degree or certificate.
As outlined in this notice, five-year funding will: (a) Allow funded
projects to engage in a lengthy recruitment effort and meet their
enrollment goals; (b) enable the first cohort of students to
complete the full four years of the tech-prep program and attain the
necessary postsecondary degree or certificate; and (c) enable
subsequent cohorts of students to complete a significant portion of
the tech-prep program, thus increasing the likelihood that they will
persist in their efforts to attain the necessary postsecondary
degree or certificate. In addition, by enabling funded projects to
conduct the full four-year tech-prep program, five-year funding will
allow grantees and the Department to evaluate the
[[Page 19743]]
effectiveness of the funded programs more thoroughly.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: To be eligible for funding under the TPDP,
a consortium must include at least one member in each of the following
three categories:
(1) An LEA, an intermediate educational agency, an area vocational
and technical education school serving secondary school students, or a
secondary school funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs;
(2) (a) A nonprofit institution of higher education that offers a
two-year associate degree, two-year certificate, or two-year
postsecondary apprenticeship program, or (b) a proprietary institution
of higher education that offers a two-year associate degree program;
and
(3) A business.
Under the provisions of section 204(a)(1) of Perkins III, to be
eligible for consortium membership both nonprofit and proprietary
institutions of higher education must be qualified as institutions of
higher education pursuant to section 102 of HEA, including institutions
receiving assistance under the Tribally Controlled College or
University Assistance Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) and tribally
controlled postsecondary vocational and technical institutions.
In addition, nonprofit institutions of higher education are
eligible only if they are not prohibited from receiving assistance
under HEA, title IV, part B (20 U.S.C. 1071 et seq.), pursuant to the
provisions of section 435(a)(3) of HEA (20 U.S.C. 1083(a)). Proprietary
institutions of higher education are eligible only if they are not
subject to a default management plan required by the Secretary.
Under the provisions of section 204(a)(2) of Perkins III, consortia
also may include one or more: (1) Institutions of higher education that
award baccalaureate degrees; (2) employer organizations; or (3) labor
organizations.
Note: Eligible consortia seeking to apply for funds should read
and follow the regulations in 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129, which
apply to group applications.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not involve cost
sharing or matching but does involve supplement-not-supplant funding
provisions.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: Laura Messenger, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 11028, Potomac
Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-7241. Telephone: (202) 245-7840.
Fax: (202) 245-7170. You may also obtain an application package via
Internet from the following address: https://www.ed.gov/GrantApps/
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain this notice in an
alternate format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer
diskette) by contacting the program contact person listed in this
section.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements
concerning the content of the application, together with the forms you
must submit, are in the application package for this competition.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: April 14, 2005.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 31, 2005.
Applications for grants under this competition may be submitted
electronically using the Electronic Grant Application System (e-
Application) accessible through the Department's e-Grants system, or in
paper format by mail or hand delivery. For information (including dates
and times) about how to submit your application electronically, or by
mail or hand delivery, please refer to section IV. 6. Other Submission
Requirements in this notice.
We do not consider an application that does not comply with the
deadline requirements.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 28, 2005.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive
order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order
12372 is in the application package for this competition.
5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice. In
addition, some specific categories of allowable TPDP spending and some
specific funding restrictions apply to TPDP projects:
Allowable Costs
Allowable activities and expenditures for TPDP projects include,
but are not limited to: Recruitment and enrollment of students; staff
hiring; updating of articulation agreements; curriculum revision;
professional development for secondary and postsecondary faculty,
counselors, and administrators; and development and maintenance of
business and industry partnerships. In addition, section 207(b)(2) of
Perkins III specifies that TPDP projects may provide summer internships
at a business for students or teachers.
Section 207 of Perkins III gives applicants latitude for
innovation. Subject to applicable funding restrictions, section
204(c)(3)(B) of Perkins III authorizes tech-prep programs that allow
students to concurrently complete both secondary and postsecondary
courses, and simultaneously satisfy requirements for a high school
diploma and an associate degree or other postsecondary credential.
Unallowable Costs
(1) Supplanting. In accordance with section 311(a) of Perkins III,
funds under this program may not be used to supplant non-Federal funds
used to carry out vocational and technical education activities and
tech-prep activities. Further, the prohibition against supplanting also
means that grantees are required to use their negotiated restricted
indirect cost rate under this program. (34 CFR 75.563.)
Because of the statutory prohibition against supplanting, we
caution applicants not to plan to use Federal funds awarded under
section 207 of Perkins III to replace non-Federal funding that is
already, or that otherwise would be, available for support of the TPDP
projects to be assisted. Further, we are concerned that TPDP funds may
be used to replace Federal student financial aid. We wish to highlight
the fact that the statute does not authorize us to fund projects that
serve primarily as entities through which students may apply for and
receive tuition and other financial assistance.
(2) Construction. Under Sec. 75.533 of EDGAR (34 CFR 75.533), TPDP
grants cannot be used for the acquisition of real property or
construction because Perkins III does not specifically permit use of
TPDP funds for these purposes.
(3) Articulation Agreements with Four-Year Institutions. Under the
provisions of section 207(d) of Perkins III, tech-prep articulation
agreements with four-year institutions cannot be supported with TPDP
funds awarded under section 207 of Perkins III. However, articulation
agreements with four-year institutions can be developed using other
resources by applicants who wish to establish ``open-ended'' tech-
[[Page 19744]]
prep career pathways. Also, the inclusion in TPDP consortia of
institutions of higher education that award baccalaureate degrees is
allowable under section 204(a)(2)(A) of Perkins III.
6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under
this competition may be submitted electronically or in paper format by
mail or hand delivery.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications. If you choose to submit
your application to us electronically, you must use e-Application
available through the Department's e-Grants system, accessible through
the e-Grants portal page at: https://e-grants.ed.gov.
While completing your electronic application, you will be entering
data online that will be saved into a database. You may not e-mail an
electronic copy of a grant application to us.
Please note the following:
Your participation in e-Application is voluntary.
You must complete the electronic submission of your grant
application by 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date. The e-Application system will not accept an application
for this competition after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the
application deadline date. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do
not wait until the application deadline date to begin the application
process.
The regular hours of operation of the e-Grants Web site
are 6 a.m. Monday until 7 p.m. Wednesday; and 6 a.m. Thursday until
midnight Saturday, Washington, DC time. Please note that the system is
unavailable on Sundays, and between 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and 6 a.m. on
Thursdays, Washington, DC time, for maintenance. Any modifications to
these hours are posted on the e-Grants Web site.
You will not receive additional point value because you
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you
if you submit your application in paper format.
You must submit all documents electronically, including
the Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED 424), Budget
Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary
assurances and certifications.
Any narrative sections of your application should be
attached as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF
(Portable Document) format.
Your electronic application must comply with any page
limit requirements described in this notice.
Prior to submitting your electronic application, you may
wish to print a copy of it for your records.
After you electronically submit your application, you will
receive an automatic acknowledgement that will include a PR/Award
number (an identifying number unique to your application).
Within three working days after submitting your electronic
application, fax a signed copy of the ED 424 to the Application Control
Center after following these steps:
(1) Print the ED 424 from e-Application.
(2) The applicant's Authorizing Representative must sign this form.
(3) Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of the
hard-copy signature page of the ED 424.
(4) Fax the signed ED 424 to the Application Control Center at
(202) 245-6272.
We may request that you provide us original signatures on
other forms at a later date.
Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of System
Unavailability: If you are prevented from electronically submitting
your application on the application deadline date because the e-
Application system is unavailable, we will grant you an extension of
one business day in order to transmit your application electronically,
by mail, or by hand delivery. We will grant this extension if--
(1) You are a registered user of e-Application and you have
initiated an electronic application for this competition; and
(2) (a) The e-Application system is unavailable for 60 minutes or
more between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Washington, DC time,
on the application deadline date; or
(b) The e-Application system is unavailable for any period of time
between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the
application deadline date.
We must acknowledge and confirm these periods of unavailability
before granting you an extension. To request this extension or to
confirm our acknowledgement of any system unavailability, you may
contact either (1) the person listed elsewhere in this notice under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT (see VII. Agency Contact) or (2) the e-
Grants help desk at 1-888-336-8930. If the system is down and therefore
the application deadline is extended, an e-mail will be sent to all
registered users who have initiated an e-Application.
Extensions referred to in this section apply only to the
unavailability of the Department's e-Application system. If the e-
Application system is available, and, for any reason, you are unable to
submit your application electronically or you do not receive an
automatic acknowledgement of your submission, you may submit your
application in paper format by mail or hand delivery in accordance with
the instructions in this notice.
b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail. If you submit your
application in paper format by mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or
a commercial carrier), you must mail the original and two copies of
your application, on or before the application deadline date, to the
Department at the applicable following address:
By mail through the U.S. Postal Service: U.S. Department of
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.353),
400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260; or
By mail through a commercial carrier: U.S. Department of Education,
Application Control Center--Stop 4260, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.353),
7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506.
Regardless of which address you use, you must show proof of mailing
consisting of one of the following:
(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark,
(2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the
U.S. Postal Service,
(3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial
carrier, or
(4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the
U.S. Department of Education.
If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do
not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
(1) A private metered postmark, or
(2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
If your application is postmarked after the application deadline
date, we will not consider your application.
Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated
postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your
local post office.
c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery. If you submit
your application in paper format by hand delivery, you (or a courier
service) must deliver the original and two copies of your application
by hand, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department
at the following address: U.S. Department of Education, Application
Control Center, Attention:
[[Page 19745]]
(CFDA Number 84.353), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center
Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.
The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily
between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays,
Sundays, and Federal holidays.
Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you mail
or hand deliver your application to the Department:
(1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by the
Department--in Item 4 of the ED 424 the CFDA number--and suffix letter,
if any--of the competition under which you are submitting your
application.
(2) The Application Control Center will mail a grant application
receipt acknowledgment to you. If you do not receive the grant
application receipt acknowledgment within 15 business days from the
application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of
Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition
are as follows:
(1) Quality of the project design. (40 points)
In determining the quality of the design of the proposed project,
we consider the following factors:
(a) The extent to which the applicant demonstrates its readiness to
implement a complete, career-oriented, four-year program of study, as
evidenced by a formal articulation agreement concerning the structure,
content, and sequence of all academic and technical courses to be
offered in the proposed tech-prep program and, if applicable, the
conditions under which dual credit will be awarded. (5 points)
(b) The extent to which the applicant's proposed secondary academic
and technical course offerings and graduation requirements prepare
students to enter postsecondary education without the need for
remediation and are aligned with the entrance requirements for
postsecondary degree and certificate programs. (5 points)
(c) The extent to which the proposed instructional program
incorporates high academic standards that equal or exceed those
established by the State and reflects industry-recognized skills and
knowledge. (5 points)
(d) The extent to which the applicant demonstrates that consortium
efforts will align the ninth-grade and tenth-grade curricula with
proposed TPDP program entrance requirements, to ensure a sizable,
qualified applicant pool for the proposed TPDP program. (5 points)
(e) The extent to which the applicant presents a detailed student
recruitment plan that is likely to be effective in fulfilling the
project's enrollment goals for each year of the project. (5 points)
(f) The extent to which the applicant demonstrates that it has
designed a comprehensive academic and career counseling program for
participating students at both the secondary and postsecondary levels
and will provide specific support services to ensure students'
persistence in the program to the attainment of a postsecondary degree
or certificate. (5 points)
(g) The extent to which the applicant demonstrates that the
business member(s) of the consortium and other area employers have
agreed to provide structured work-based learning opportunities to TPDP
students that are directly related to the proposed technical program(s)
of study. (5 points)
(h) The extent to which the proposed project will provide intensive
professional development, specifically designed to help achieve the
goals of the program, for secondary and postsecondary instructors,
counselors, and administrators involved in the program. (5 points)
(2) Quality of the management plan. (15 points)
In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed
project, we consider the following factors:
(a) The extent to which the management plan outlines specific,
measurable goals, objectives, and outcomes to be achieved by the
proposed project. (5 points)
(b) The extent to which the management plan assigns responsibility
for the accomplishment of project tasks to specific project personnel
and provides timelines for the accomplishment of project tasks. (5
points)
(c) The extent to which the time commitments of the project
director and other key personnel are appropriate and adequate to
achieve the objectives of the proposed project. (5 points)
(3) Quality of project personnel. (15 points)
In determining the quality of project personnel, we consider the
following factors:
(a) The extent to which the applicant encourages applications for
employment from members of groups that have traditionally been
underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or
disability. (5 points)
(b) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of the project director. (5 points)
(c) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of key project personnel, including teachers, counselors,
administrators, and project consultants. (5 points)
(4) Adequacy of resources. (10 points)
In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed project,
we consider the following factors:
(a) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment,
supplies, and other resources, from the participating institutions. (5
points)
(b) The extent to which the budget is adequate and costs are
reasonable in relation to the objectives and design of the proposed
project. (5 points)
(5) Quality of the project evaluation. (20 points)
In determining the quality of the evaluation, we consider the
following factors:
(a) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough,
feasible, and appropriate, will solicit input from all consortium
members regarding program effectiveness, and will yield accurate and
reliable data for each of the required performance indicators. (10
points)
(b) The extent to which the evaluation will produce reports or
other documents at appropriate intervals to enable consortium members
to use the data for planning and decision making for continuous program
improvement. (5 points)
(c) The extent to which the independent evaluator possesses the
necessary background and expertise to carry out the evaluation. (5
points)
2. Special Considerations. In addition to the points to be awarded
to applicants based on the selection criteria in this notice, under
section 207(d)(3) of Perkins III, we will award five additional points
to applications that:
(1) Provide for effective employment placement activities;
(2) Effectively address the issues of school dropout prevention and
reentry, as well as the needs of special populations;
(3) Provide education and training in career areas or skills in
which there are significant workforce shortages, including the
information technology industry; and
(4) Demonstrate how tech-prep programs will help students meet high
academic and employability competencies.
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your
U.S.
[[Page 19746]]
Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award
Notification (GAN). We may also notify you informally.
If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding,
we notify you.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify
administrative and national policy requirements in the application
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable
Regulations section of this notice.
We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding
commitments under the grant.
3. Reporting: At the end of your project period, you must submit a
final performance report, including financial information, as directed
by the Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an
annual performance report that provides the most current performance
and financial expenditure information as specified by the Secretary in
34 CFR 75.118. For specific requirements on grantee reporting, please
review the Grant Performance Report forms and instructions (ED 524-B)
at https://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
4. Performance Measures: We describe the requirement for each
applicant to submit specific annual performance goals for the required
specific performance indicators identified in paragraph (6) of the
Requirements section of the notice of final requirements and selection
criteria, published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.
VII. Agency Contact
For Further Information Contact: Laura Messenger, U.S. Department
of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 11028, Potomac Center
Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-7241. telephone: (202) 245-7840 or by e-
mail: laura.messenger@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer
diskette) on request to the program contact person listed in this
section.
VIII. Other Information
Electronic Access to this Document: You may view this document, as
well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the
Internet at the following site: https://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.
To use PDF you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is
available free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF,
call the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) toll free at 1-888-293-
6498, or in the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.
Note: The official version of this document is the document
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: https://www.gpoaccess.gov/
nara/.
Dated: April 11, 2005.
Susan Sclafani,
Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education.
[FR Doc. 05-7527 Filed 4-13-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
